Josh
@jbralston.bsky.social
Reader in Christian-Muslim Relations at University of Edinburgh. Write on theology, politics, and inter-cultural (mis)understandings.
Sport used to be an escape from academia, but now major sports are shaped by the regions and religions that I study. COYS
Sport used to be an escape from academia, but now major sports are shaped by the regions and religions that I study. COYS
in Boston for academic conference and will have to skip out on a session on Sunday to watch the NLD!
November 21, 2025 at 1:44 PM
in Boston for academic conference and will have to skip out on a session on Sunday to watch the NLD!
to confirm Scotland's place back in the World Cup for the first time in 28 years!
Yep, why not score a goal from your own half in the 98th minute?
November 18, 2025 at 10:06 PM
to confirm Scotland's place back in the World Cup for the first time in 28 years!
Scotland gonna Scotland
November 18, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Scotland gonna Scotland
Reposted by Josh
It's hard to find words to capture quite how revolting, steeped in bigotry, irresponsible, morally unmoored, Labour has become. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Anglican bishop shaken ‘to the core’ by home secretary’s asylum seeker comments
Bishop of Edmonton says people coming to UK are being ‘scapegoated’ for years of policy failures
www.theguardian.com
November 17, 2025 at 4:38 PM
It's hard to find words to capture quite how revolting, steeped in bigotry, irresponsible, morally unmoored, Labour has become. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Reposted by Josh
She said herself that she wants 'decent, moderate politics' and she's proposing that we rip jewellery from asylum seekers desperately searching for a better life, yeah? Don't believe what they say, believe what they do.
Your regular reminder that there is absolutely nothing "hard" or "tough" about targeting the poorest, most vulnerable, and least able to defend themselves groups of people on the entire planet
November 17, 2025 at 5:35 PM
She said herself that she wants 'decent, moderate politics' and she's proposing that we rip jewellery from asylum seekers desperately searching for a better life, yeah? Don't believe what they say, believe what they do.
my Arsenal supporting student on Arsenal, America, and the echoes of Christian evangelism in the spread of the Premier League. I'm now going to make him read @jackpittbrooke.bsky.social's piece on Spurs and USA.
open.substack.com/pub/sportrel...
open.substack.com/pub/sportrel...
“Over Land & Sea”
Arsenal America & global supporter clubs as ‘mission-like’ entities
open.substack.com
November 17, 2025 at 3:31 PM
my Arsenal supporting student on Arsenal, America, and the echoes of Christian evangelism in the spread of the Premier League. I'm now going to make him read @jackpittbrooke.bsky.social's piece on Spurs and USA.
open.substack.com/pub/sportrel...
open.substack.com/pub/sportrel...
Reposted by Josh
Incredible end to this piece:
"What I do know is that I was accused more than once by
some Board members and the Governor’s office of being stubborn. Perhaps I am. But stubborn and
principled often look the same, especially to those who are unprincipled."
"What I do know is that I was accused more than once by
some Board members and the Governor’s office of being stubborn. Perhaps I am. But stubborn and
principled often look the same, especially to those who are unprincipled."
Former UVA president Jim Ryan, who resigned over the summer due to pressure from the Trump Administration, just shared this 12-page letter with the Faculty Senate, detailing his experience with the Board of Visitors and DOJ.
It's a surreal--and troubling--read.
drive.google.com/file/d/1Is6x...
It's a surreal--and troubling--read.
drive.google.com/file/d/1Is6x...
November 14, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Incredible end to this piece:
"What I do know is that I was accused more than once by
some Board members and the Governor’s office of being stubborn. Perhaps I am. But stubborn and
principled often look the same, especially to those who are unprincipled."
"What I do know is that I was accused more than once by
some Board members and the Governor’s office of being stubborn. Perhaps I am. But stubborn and
principled often look the same, especially to those who are unprincipled."
Arsenal drop points. Let the world rejoice. Hopefully Liverpool v City isn't a draw.
let's hope that we are down to 4th by 7:30pm tonight
November 8, 2025 at 8:47 PM
Arsenal drop points. Let the world rejoice. Hopefully Liverpool v City isn't a draw.
Scotland with an epic comeback to get even and then have a great chance to go ahead....only to lose it late to All Blacks.
Scotland has still never beaten New Zealand.
Scotland has still never beaten New Zealand.
November 8, 2025 at 4:58 PM
Scotland with an epic comeback to get even and then have a great chance to go ahead....only to lose it late to All Blacks.
Scotland has still never beaten New Zealand.
Scotland has still never beaten New Zealand.
let's hope that we are down to 4th by 7:30pm tonight
November 8, 2025 at 4:15 PM
let's hope that we are down to 4th by 7:30pm tonight
At 80 minutes, I would have happily taken a point...but football is cruel so now I'm angry that we gave away the win.
November 8, 2025 at 2:42 PM
At 80 minutes, I would have happily taken a point...but football is cruel so now I'm angry that we gave away the win.
Reposted by Josh
It's stark when you see it like that. My word.
November 8, 2025 at 11:43 AM
It's stark when you see it like that. My word.
just a middle aged man whose happiness for the rest of the weekend, nae the next fortnight, relies upon the outcome of a lunchtime football match in north London. COYS
November 8, 2025 at 8:49 AM
just a middle aged man whose happiness for the rest of the weekend, nae the next fortnight, relies upon the outcome of a lunchtime football match in north London. COYS
My friend and colleague with a great interview with Imam Mustafa Briggs exploring Islam, modernity and blackness.
November 7, 2025 at 4:12 PM
My friend and colleague with a great interview with Imam Mustafa Briggs exploring Islam, modernity and blackness.
Reposted by Josh
Important, timely, analysis by @lgilbert.co debunking the commonly used line that "migrants are a burden". Shows that migrants are overwhelmingly bet fiscal contributors. Basically, you target migration, you crash the country.
"Home Office data suggests that recent immigrants are more likely to be working than British nationals and make higher wages than them."
✍️ Lauren Gilbert argues that migrants to the UK are net fiscal contributors, adding much more to the economy than they take out,
ukandeu.ac.uk/lower-migrat...
✍️ Lauren Gilbert argues that migrants to the UK are net fiscal contributors, adding much more to the economy than they take out,
ukandeu.ac.uk/lower-migrat...
Lower migration is bad news for the UK economy - UK in a changing Europe
Lauren Gilbert argues that migrants to the UK are net fiscal contributors, adding much more to the economy than they take out, and that the recent collapse in immigration will harm the UK's economic p...
ukandeu.ac.uk
November 7, 2025 at 8:23 AM
Important, timely, analysis by @lgilbert.co debunking the commonly used line that "migrants are a burden". Shows that migrants are overwhelmingly bet fiscal contributors. Basically, you target migration, you crash the country.
4th year MA Theology student, Robert Rustom on women's sport, muscular Christianity, and gender biases.
open.substack.com/pub/sportrel...
open.substack.com/pub/sportrel...
“They’re Just Not as Good?”
- Rethinking the Narrative About Women in Sport
open.substack.com
November 7, 2025 at 9:21 AM
4th year MA Theology student, Robert Rustom on women's sport, muscular Christianity, and gender biases.
open.substack.com/pub/sportrel...
open.substack.com/pub/sportrel...
"But this is a new era: you can’t reach an accommodation with an ICE agent when he’s kneeling on your neck. Climate chaos does not come with a moderate option. An oligarch is not interested in your pitiful attempts to strike a deal." www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
The Zohran Mamdani method can work beyond New York. Take the fight to the right | Aditya Chakrabortty
For too long, the centre has been adopting the language of the right but deploying it with greater civility – to disastrous ends, says Guardian columnist Aditya Chakrabortty
www.theguardian.com
November 6, 2025 at 10:08 AM
"But this is a new era: you can’t reach an accommodation with an ICE agent when he’s kneeling on your neck. Climate chaos does not come with a moderate option. An oligarch is not interested in your pitiful attempts to strike a deal." www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reads like something taken from O'Neil's novel Godwin
November 5, 2025 at 11:42 AM
Reads like something taken from O'Neil's novel Godwin
Can we get an xG from before and after the red card @nathanaclark.bsky.social @profspur.bsky.social
November 4, 2025 at 9:58 PM
Can we get an xG from before and after the red card @nathanaclark.bsky.social @profspur.bsky.social
"The Sanctification of Kobe Bryant" by 4th year undergraduate Liv Sample. open.substack.com/pub/sportrel...
The Sanctification of Kobe Bryant
When Kobe Bryant died in 2020, the world mourned his loss as though he were a saint.
open.substack.com
November 4, 2025 at 11:34 AM
"The Sanctification of Kobe Bryant" by 4th year undergraduate Liv Sample. open.substack.com/pub/sportrel...
my undergraduate students were debating before class if Chelsea were good or Spurs just absolutely atrocious. Leeds supporter voted Chelsea as good pressing. Arsenal supporter wasn't impressed with Chelsea, just thought Spurs were 'worst I've ever seen them.'
November 3, 2025 at 5:35 PM
my undergraduate students were debating before class if Chelsea were good or Spurs just absolutely atrocious. Leeds supporter voted Chelsea as good pressing. Arsenal supporter wasn't impressed with Chelsea, just thought Spurs were 'worst I've ever seen them.'
two great matches on tomorrow night with PSG v Bayern and Real Madrid v Liverpool...and I'm going to watch the dross that is Tottenham Hotspur at home against FC Copenhagen.
November 3, 2025 at 5:29 PM
two great matches on tomorrow night with PSG v Bayern and Real Madrid v Liverpool...and I'm going to watch the dross that is Tottenham Hotspur at home against FC Copenhagen.
Just been told it will be a 69 week wait for an appointment with an orthopaedic about a lingering ankle injury. Had to go private for my physio and she suggested an MRI to consider surgery or cortisone injection but apparently that would take nearly 2 years to get!
November 3, 2025 at 8:37 AM
Just been told it will be a 69 week wait for an appointment with an orthopaedic about a lingering ankle injury. Had to go private for my physio and she suggested an MRI to consider surgery or cortisone injection but apparently that would take nearly 2 years to get!
teaching Sinan Antoon's amazing novel, Corpse Washer, tomorrow with master's students. This opening vignette gets me every time.
November 2, 2025 at 7:38 PM
teaching Sinan Antoon's amazing novel, Corpse Washer, tomorrow with master's students. This opening vignette gets me every time.
got up early working on my lecture on sectarianism and football in Scotland, but all I can think about is how how horribly awful Tottenham Hotspur were yesterday and how much shit my students are going to give me tomorrow in class.
November 2, 2025 at 7:08 AM
got up early working on my lecture on sectarianism and football in Scotland, but all I can think about is how how horribly awful Tottenham Hotspur were yesterday and how much shit my students are going to give me tomorrow in class.